Giovanni E. Cioffi, 34, of 564 Cooper Ave., was seriously injured Saturday when he he crashed a sport utility vehicle Saturday while trying to elude officers.
He was speeding northbound in the 300 block of Canby Street when the SUV hit two utility poles on the right side of the street. The SUV then went airborne and hit another utility pole off the left side of Canby at the intersection with an east/west alley behind Sherwin Williams, 316 S. Main St.
An officer of the Bellefontaine Police Department used radar to track Cioffi traveling northbound at 45 mph in a 35-mph zone in the 800 block of south Main. When the officer turned around to catch up, Cioffi reportedly sped off and tried to evade police.
After the 11:30 p.m. crash, he was able to climb out of the heavily damaged SUV and stumble off toward Detroit Street.
Officers found him outside a residence and a Bellefontaine squad transported him to Mary Rutan Hospital for initial treatment of his injuries. He was later transferred to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
Cioffi has been charged with felony fleeing and eluding, along with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, according to his blood alcohol results of 0.15, officers said. Further charges are pending.